Help with identifying SS unit (SS-Geb.Jag.Ers.Abt.3)

[Freak1]

Hello everybody,

I'm writing this thread on behalf of my friend - dedicated metal detectorist.

He found this SS dog tag on a dumping place of the fleeing army at the end of world war 2 in Austria - Carinthia to be precise. Before moral issues regarding grave robbing, this is not the case, most of the soldiers dropped their insignias before surrendering to the british forces. My friend also found lots of different equipment nearby, including ss belt buckle.

To get back on the topic, this dog tag is something special, it is definitly original one, there is no reason for my friend to fake it or scam other people as he collects relics only for himself.

He posted his dog tag to different collectors forums, where he got accused of faking and belonging to a fantasy unit etc.

Here are the pictures and writing on it:

SS-Geb.Jag.Ers.Abt.39

What unit could this be? We'd be happy with any explanation whatsoever.

Regards, Grega

[hucks216]

SS-Gebirgsjäger-Ersatz-Abteilung 39 - such a designation was a training/replacement unit but I'm not sure that the designation is correct. Did GJ units use the term Abteilung - I think it should be Bataillon? I can't find any reference for this unit (or SS-GJ-Ersatz und Ausbildungs-Abteilung 39) so there is a good chance that the dogtag might not be original. I'm basing this on the unit information itself and not the actual dogtag as I do not collect them but until you can find information about the unit you should treat the item with caution.

[Freak1]

I see where you are coming from, but like i said, my friend didn't buy this dogtag or trade it, he dug it himself along with other items among them was a confirmed original ss belt buckle. He also is not selling this dogtag as he is collecting his own finds. Also it doesnt make any sense that somebody would try to "age" it deep down in the forrest with the rest of confirmed originals.

Definitly this one is very interesting, thats why he would like to know more about it.

[Freak1]

Anyone?

[Christoph Awender]

Hello,

Well, everything had been said. Fact is that there are two Problems with the unit -
1. The Designation is wrong according to all rules and regulations - Gebirgsjäger aka infantry units were Bataillone and not Abteilungen
2. No official list Shows this unit

The rest we cannot determine because we are not able to judge who and where the disk was found. These two "Problems" stay.

/Christoph